KUALA LUMPUR: Over RM4.3mil in compound notices have been issued to employers nationwide for various labour offences this year.

Human Resources Minister V. Sivakumar said a total of 1,654 investigation papers (IP) were opened between January and October 2023.

"These covered offences under the Employment Act; Employees' Minimum Standards of Housing, Accommodations and Amenities Act as well as the Minimum Wages Order.

"We issued fines to the tune of RM391,236 for 357 of those IPs while 775 other IPs had RM3.958mil in compound notices meted against offenders," he told reporters after attending an operation at Pasar Borong KL on Wednesday (Nov 15).

He said they conducted the operations at the market after receiving numerous complaints.

"We want to ensure that no workers here are facing discrimination.

"Some employers are not making Employee Provident Fund (EPF) and Socso contributions for their workers.

"We also received information that some employers were not paying their workers," he said,

He added that they discovered that some employers were paying their workers in cash.

Sivakumar said this was an offence unless there was approval from the Labour Department director general.

He said paying wages via banks was to record the transactions and ensure there is no manipulation.